Presently, considerable disposal of a diaper is difficult. A used reusable cotton diaper is handled during and after changing and then is placed in a container. Typically, the initial container is a nursery diaper pail which accumulates diapers over time. The diapers are later washed for re-use.
To avoid the chore of washing the used cotton diaper, disposable diapers are designed to be used once and discarded. However, the disposable diaper shares the same initial problems as does the reusable cotton diaper: the disposable diaper must still be handled during and after changing and must be placed in an initial container or simply discarded into a waste receptacle, particularly if the change occurs away from home.
Improvements in disposable diapers have been in the areas of absorbency, softness and comfort-fit; the problem of considerate disposal of the used diaper is rarely addressed. Temporary storage in a diaper pail rapidly results in the development of disagreeable odors such as the odor of ammonia. Transport of the used diaper to a collection facility is awkward, particularly in a public place.
Some have attempted to address the problem of considerate disposal by manufacturing individual diaper disposal bags. These bags are wholly separate from the disposable diaper and can be inadvertantly left behind during travels away from home. Further, there is no assurance that a nursery will be equipped with the same number of disposable bags as the number of diapers.